artist // freelance whales
album // weathervanes
label // unsigned
release date // september 1st 2009

I’ll be the first to admit that I was a bit hesitant when I first read about Freelance Whales. The five-piece out of Queens, New York come from a bubbling scene that is all too hit or miss, dishing out an uneven ratio of scene retreads to listenable acts. However from the time I heard the banjo intro on “Generator ^ 1st Floor” crawl into a building harmonium of oddball humming, I was sold. I immediately grabbed a copy of their debut Weathervanes and the rest is history.

Freelance Whales started in late 2008, which is quite an impressive thought to consider when listening to their debut. Weathervanes is a quirk-pop masterpiece, filled with a glut of instruments including harmonium, banjo, cello, and glockenspiel. Every year there’s always an album that seemingly comes out of nowhere to hit me like a truck; the dark horse album of the year. This is it.

The thing that makes Weathervanes so good is it’s unexplainable ability to combine the immediacy of it’s songs with a depth of songwriting that is unmatched by too many. The first week after being introduced to Weathervanes, it was the only thing I listened to. I took it with me wherever I went, all the while waiting for the eventual crash that accompanies a record that favors instant appeal instead of good songwriting. I thought this was THAT record, but I was wrong. Weathervanes is the best of both worlds; instantly addicting and positively refreshing with each listen.

Weathervanes is built like a truck. At 13 songs and just a tad over 45 minutes, there is not a second lost in it’s makeup. Even the three spacey interludes that divide the album into thirds are well put and attentive to detail. The first third of the record showcases it’s catchiest moments coming in the form of “Generator ^1st Floor”, “Hannah” and “Starring”. “Hannah” is arguaby the album’s catchiest number leading off with a thick synth and varied instrumentation, which later retreats in favor of the tune’s catchy word play; “Hannah takes the stairs/ And I usually take the elevator/ Every now and then she offers me a lemon now-n-later.” However, it is “Starring” that has the biggest potential for radio-ready single stardom, with a chorus that doesn’t stop at sticking to your brain, but is only content with making a permanent imprint on it.

When trying to pinpoint Freelance Whales, it’s hard to tell what influences their sound. While song’s like “Broken Horse” could easily be mistaken for a Sufjan Steven’s single, other tracks like “Generator ^ 2nd Floor” “Ghosting” and “We Could Be Friends” all draw influence from acts like Anathallo, Postal Service, or even The Arcade Fire. That is not to say that they sound anything like those bands, as “Weathervanes” content is all their own. This is the biggest thing that Freelance Whales have going for them. Unsigned, young and full of potential, their sound is not necessarily what’s popular right now, but they could easily change that. However, the best part about them is that they don’t seem to care about changing anything, but are merely content with impromptu performances in the subways of New York, spreading their sound the old fashioned way, through word of mouth and good old determined hard work. And if they can do that and keep their output as precisely magnificent as their debut, that’s fine by me.

mp3 // starring
mp3 // hannah
myspace // freelance whales
purchase // weathervanes